5 Style Mistakes to Avoid When Wearing Men's Sandals So you don't end up looking like a medieval monk or, worse, a middle-aged tourist

It's summer, there's a heat wave, and with every degree that rises, life seems more unbearable. We have to navigate a city where the asphalt is boiling, where the walls feel like radiators and the sun simply won't loosen its grip. It's only natural to want to wear as little as possible and, above all, to hate closed shoes and socks. That's why in recent years we've seen flip-flops and Birkenstocks embraced even in the city, even with entirely urban outfits. Not to mention that fashion has also discovered the unexpected sensuality that a bare foot can radiate.

That said, even when you choose to go with an open shoe — and especially with a sandal — there are important distinctions to be made. With flip-flops you're almost always on safe ground (we do see blunders there too, but fewer), whereas sandals are not just trickier territory but downright treacherous. That's why we've decided to talk you through the 5 style mistakes to avoid with men's sandals.

1. Franciscan persuasion

It's a very specific style that too many people — often with the air of an intellectual who refuses to bow to such frivolities — still wear. It's the classic two-strap sandal, very often in leather, but it's old. It's ancient. And it's brown. It's so old and brown it looks like the sandal Jesus wore in Galilee; it's so old that the moment you see it, you immediately think of Saint Francis. Just looking at it brings back memories that are, sorry to say, olfactory as well as visual. And it creates an impression of poverty and neglect, especially if you're cheerfully oblivious while wearing it. Nurture your spirit by all means, but when it comes to footwear, resist the evangelical persuasion: religion may save your soul, but it won't save your wardrobe.

2. Orthopaedic aesthetics

You're at a certain age and you want to be comfortable, right? You think nobody will notice those sandals that are, after all, so normal, right? There's just one problem. If those sandals are so "normal," it's because they're the kind of sandals you typically put on children — the one social category whose clothing choices (except in a few serious cases) neither need nor deserve commentary. But you're not children; you're adults. And a chunky sandal made of thick orthopaedic soles, velcro straps, removable insoles, and dubious-quality mesh and suede inserts makes you look old and sloppy. You need to accept that they're hideous and unwearable. If you want a comfortable shoe, get a closed sneaker — you won't overheat; but if you want a sandal, remember that leather is the only socially acceptable option.

3.  The plastic slab

This type of sandal is bought by practical-minded people who, quite reasonably, want neither a sandal with Franciscan vibes nor one that, in a different size, could be worn by a two-year-old. So they choose a sandal at a very affordable price point but with a sporty, modern look. Typically, this sandal has a classic shape but is a solid chunk of rubber; walk on a smooth floor and it makes the sounds of a clown's shoes; walk under a blazing sun and it gets a little too hot to be comfortable. And above all, just because it's more modern doesn't exempt you from the charge of sloppiness. Many young men fall into this trap, thinking the plastic-slab sandal is a kind of summer cousin of the sneaker. And in a sense it is — but it's the kind of cousin who drinks beer and plays slot machines at nine o'clock on a weekday morning.

4. Straps that are too thin and/or braided

Every modern family has a more "refined" member. He has more culture, more class, and is perhaps a little pretentious. But he's chic and makes chic choices — or so he believes. Such as, for instance, choosing a different sandal, a more elegant one, unlike the coarse, prosaic styles his father or grandfather wore their whole lives. So he opts for a sandal with thin straps — perhaps braided, perhaps looped around the big toe, or wrapping around the ankle. Noble intentions, but unfortunately "different" is not the same as "elegant." A man's foot in those delicate little leather straps is a sure sign of a personality that fancies itself more interesting or profound than it actually is — and above all, tragically incapable of honest self-assessment in the mirror. The only possible excuse: if you're wearing Mexican huaraches, which are objectively stunning.

5. The fake Hermès Oran

Did he know that a Hermès Oran exists in that shape? Or did he see the classic provincial influencer on holiday wearing a Hermès Oran and decide it's a sandal worth imitating? We don't know. But we do know it's such a famous and obscenely expensive sandal that anyone wearing it fails to realise they've become a banal cliché. Wearing it is a zero-sum game: if it's real and you could afford it, you're a stereotype; if it's real and you couldn't afford it, goodness knows what you did to get your hands on a pair; and if it's fake and you couldn't afford it, you're simply advertising your own foolishness. So do yourself a favour and choose something else.